


Got Your Back

by BlackHunter666



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blind Jack, Damaged Jack, Deaf Jesse, M/M, Mission Mayhem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 18:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14171010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: It's their anniversary and things aren't going to plan. A mission gone astray leads to grand memories and a special surprise.





	Got Your Back

**Author's Note:**

> This was initially written for the "Stories from Watchpoint: Gibraltar" zine.

Ducking behind cover and reloading fast, Soldier: 76 cursed softly as fragments of concrete rained down on his head. Tipping back a little to keep the annoying grit out of his collar, he checked his ammo pouch and swore again. He needed to break off and get out of here, circle back to the drop ship for more ammo before continuing the push.

"Solder, where are you?" Genji's voice echoed in his ear. "McCree, answer me."

"I'm just south of the payload, had a little tumble with a couple goons trying to sneak up on us." McCree replied, sounding a little winded to Soldier's sharp ears.

"Rooftop to the east of the payload. Sniper fire got me pinned down." Soldier responded, peering out from his cover. "I could use some assistance."

"Right, I've got her! Keep it together, luv, I'll have her off you in a blink!" Tracer chimed in, already blinking away by the sound of things.

"You still have three goons heading straight for ya, Soldier. I can't get a clean shot at 'em." McCree warned, still somewhere to the south.

"I'll take care of them." Soldier confirmed, attention shifting to the only way up onto this particular rooftop. "You get back to the payload. Genji can't protect Mercy and the supplies on his own."

Acknowledging a warning on his HUD, he secured his heavy rifle and reached for the pistol still snug on his thigh. He rarely used it in open combat, preferring the power and dual capability of the rifle but this required a lighter touch. The enemy agents could only come at him single file and he had a good angle at the ladder from his current position.  
"Right, Got yuuuuu... wait, where'd she go?!" Tracer piped up, drawing Soldier's attention from the ladder. "Heads up, Widowmaker gave me the slip."

"I can move back to back ya up Soldier." McCree offered, words partly drowned by the sharp retort from peacekeeper.

"No, you stay with the payload." Soldier replied, adjusting his grip on his pistol. "Find her Tracer, I'll deal with the other goons coming up then help you."

Attention shifting, Soldier dropped his aim and sighted down the barrel as he listened to the soft rattle of boots against the ladder. Squeezing the trigger between breaths, he smirked behind his mask as his bullet hit home, driving into the forehead of the first goon on the ladder. Listening for the wet thud as the body hit the ground, he rocked up into a higher crouch and prepared to make a run for the south-west corner. If he timed it right, he could jump the gap and lead these goons away from the payload. If he got it wrong…well he tried not to think about that too much.

Spotting the second goon when he poked his head over the edge, Soldier waited a breath longer before bounding to his feet and vaulting over the half crumbled concrete wall he'd been using for cover. Landing heavily and biting back a growl as his hip complained about the strain, he popped up and quickly dropped down as a wave of rifle fire assaulted the concrete beside his head.

Counting the footsteps, waiting for them to close the gap, Soldier twisted up and around just as the second goon rounded the wall. His quick paced shot landed square between the other’s eyes, dropping him as surely as the first. 2 down, 1 to go plus the sniper. He eyed the gap again and considered the odds. Just as he prepared to move, the hair on the back of his neck rose. Soldier didn’t make it through 10 years of war by ignoring his instincts. He dropped flat to the ground just in time for a sniper round to fly through the air where his head had just occupied. 

Sniper on one side of the wall, goon on the other, Soldier decided to take his chances with the goon. Flinging himself back over the concrete wall, ignoring his body’s scream of protest, he landed with a roll as another sniper bullet cracked into the concrete. A small part took pleasure in the third’s goon look of shock to see his target’s sudden retreat. A look that was quickly erased as they lifted their rifle and took aim at Soldier.

"Luv, found Widow again! I'm taking care of her, you're good to move." Tracer's voice echoed through the comm as Soldier, cursing himself, the wall and the entire situation, rolled out of way as rifle fire split the air. The gap was looking more and more promising as he dodged around round of bullets. Taking the first opportunity, he place two shots in the other man's chest and sprinted for the edge.

Securing his pistol again, he hit the edge and kicked off, resolutely keeping his gaze away from the range numbers in one corner of his HUD. He had no fear of heights but he wasn't totally comfortable being two floors up and out in mid air. Aware of a new warning flashing up on his visor, he dismissed it in favour of keeping his full attention on the opposite rooftop, preparing for the landing.

Feet together, knees gently bent, he threw his arms forward for balance just as his HUD exploded with warnings and alerts. Eyes blowing wide, he barely had a second to prepare before he hit the rooftop with a jarring thud. Off balance and helpless thanks to one incredibly lucky shot, he couldn't stick the landing and toppled backwards off the edge. Arms up to protect his head, he counted the seconds and hoped to hell that there was something relatively soft below.

Breath knocked out of his chest by the impact, he uncurled a little and groaned heavily. He took it as a small blessing that the dumpster was open, the assorted boxes of greasy rags and spoiled food sure beat crashing down on the thick metal lids above him. Flicking all the flashing warnings to the side for now, he looked up at the open lids and let out a shaky breath when he realised they were clipped to the wall and couldn't crash down on him.

"Oh no, Soldier's down! He fell off the building." Tracer cried, drawing attention to his plight. "I can't deal with both problems."

"I'm on my way." Mercy answered, probably already moving knowing her.

"Mercy, stay with the payload! I'll go back for Soldier and call if we need your help." Jesse instructed, stepping up like he'd been trained to do. "Those people at the shelter are going to need your help more, doc."

Clutching at his aching ribs as he struggled to drag himself to the edge of the dumpster, Soldier fumbled his jacket loose and rolled out of it and over the edge. Landing awkwardly in the dirt, he bit back a pained hiss and battled to sit up against the dumpster. Breath shaking, he kept one ear out for trouble as he sorted through the warnings and alerts, silencing the last of the alarms and trying not to surrender to the guilt burning in his chest.

Reaching around behind his back, he found a tear in his undersuit and sighed heavily as he withdrew his hand. At least now he knew why he fell but that didn't really didn't make him feel any better. Fighting back his frustration, he grabbed one of his bionic emitters and slapped it down beside him, welcoming the warm glow even as he tried to ignore the crackle of his ribs coming back together. Calling up the diagnostics sub-routines on his HUD, Soldier sighed heavily as he scrolled through the list rolling past his right eye.

"There you are." Jesse called, hurrying towards him. "Whoa, now that's a rotten smell."

"I'll take the smell over a swan dive onto the pavement." Soldier grumbled, lifting his gaze slowly. "My rifle and coat are in the dumpster still, got hooked up on something."

"Yeah, bit of metal pipe caught ya rifle." Jesse nodded, handing him his rifle. "Can't see what tore up ya jacket though. Nothing here seems sharp enough. But it looks like hell."

"Blame it on the sniper." Jack sighed, pointing up as he checked his rifle over. "She got me in the back just as I went for the landing up there."

Instantly Jesse was by his side again, guiding him forward and untucking his shirt to get a better look at the damage done. Twisting around as best he could, Jack settled on the hard ground and tried to relax as Jesse rucked his shirt up further and dragged his flesh knuckles just above the coarse burn scarring right across his lower back.

"What's the damage?" He asked, pillowing his head on his folded arms.

"You got damned lucky. That shot almost totally severed the main cable, an inch across and you'd of been a dead man." Jesse replied, scarcely daring to touch the heavily damaged cable. "Shit, I don't have the gear to fix this Jack. The kit you gave me doesn't have cable thick enough."

Biting his lip behind his mask, Jack sighed as he considered their options. Angela knew about his extensive cybernetic implants, she'd insisted on knowing every detail within the first week of his rejoining Overwatch. But part of him still held onto his stubborn pride. He didn't want Angela to see him like this; it was hard enough for him to let Jesse see him totally helpless.

Still puzzling through the options and battling with his pride, his attention was drawn to a flashing indicator in one corner of his HUD, a signal of a civilian somewhere nearby. Growling softly when the display suddenly flickered and blurred. Letting out a shaky breath, he shifted to draw Jesse's attention and pointed towards the signal.

"We've got a unknown lurking. Visor's malfunctioning, can't get a read on them." He briefed, trying to ignore the flicker across his HUD.

"I see her. Looks to be around six or seven, cute as a button." Jesse chuckled, smoothing Jack's shirt down a little. "I've got an idea."

"I always get nervous when you say that." Jack deadpanned, groaned as the glitches got worse. "Shit, I'll have to shut my visor off, it's suffering major glitches."

"I'll keep ya safe." Jesse promised, stroking over his back slowly. "Just relax, I've got ya back."

Making sure to keep at least two point of contact with Jack at all times, Jesse looked towards the young girl again and smiled softly. Judging by the greasy dirt on her feet and the small stains on her dress, she was perhaps the best chance to get the parts he needed.

"What's your name, little one? I'm Matt and this is my friend Luke." Jesse offered, shifting to lightly run one hand over Jack's shoulder.

"Elena." She replied, bare feet padding closer to them. "Do you need a doctor? I can go fetch him for you."

"No need for the doctor, Elena. What we need is a mechanic, or at least the parts so I can help Luke." Jesse explained, the softest touch enough to keep Jack calm.

"What do you need? Papi is teaching me to be a mechanic." She offered, darting across to stand beside them. "He won't notice if a few things go missing."

"Power cabling, wire cutters and insulating tape if you can spare it. We really appreciate this, little darlin'."

Elena grinned, showing off a gap between her front two teeth. 

"Mama says I should help people who need it. Goods deeds make the world go round."

Jesse let out a small huff of laughter as he lifted Jack carefully over his shoulder. Jack groaned softly but settled, unwilling to move and risk falling. 

"That they do. Whatcha doing out this late anyway?"

"I was watching the big races at my friends place. I want to be part of a pit crew when I'm older!"

Jack listened with half an ear as the young girl went on and on about the cars she has seen on the TV and how they worked. The alleyways twisted and turned as they were lead deeper into the city, eventually stopping before an old mechanics. Elena pulled a key out from a pocket and unlocked the side door, beckoning them inside. 

Glancing at his watch, Jesse carefully set Jack down on the nearest bench and placed his bundled rifle and jacket down in easy reach. They would need to get moving soon, they had to get back to the team as quickly as possible. Elena skipped over to one of the toolboxes lined against the walls and began to sort through it. 

"Jesse luv, where are you?"

Glancing over to check that Elena was still occupied with searching through the tool box, Jesse tapped his comm and set one hand on Jack's shoulder. He hadn't really planned to be this far out of position, they would need to hustle to get back to the rendezvous on time.

"Had to take a little detour. We'll meet you in fifteen."

Shutting his comm off again, aiming to avoid getting interrogated by Angela, Jesse ran his fingers down Jack's back for reassurance. This wasn't even close to how he'd imagined spending today. It was meant to be a special occasion, he'd been planning this for weeks but this mission had come up and Jack had insisted they take part in it.

Turning a little when Jack tugged on his serape, Jesse chuckled softly as he reached out to take the reel of power cabling Elena was struggling to carry. Examining the cut end, he nodded and reached down to pat her hair lightly.

"This will do perfectly, li'l darlin'. Come on, I'll need an extra set of hands up here."

Setting the reel down beside Jack and helping Elena up on the crate beside the workbench, Jesse slipped his serape off and tugged Jack's shirt up again to reveal the damaged cable. Accepting the cutters Elena handed him, he measured out a temporary patch and passed it to Elena for safe keeping.

"I'll have to cut the cable fully to make the repair." He warned, watching Jack closely. "You ready?"

"No, but let's do it anyway." Jack sighed, keeping a firm grip on Jesse's serape.

"Hey now, it'll be okay. Relax, I'll take care of you." Jesse soothed, reaching across to lightly card his fingers through Jack's hair. "I've got your back."

Seeing his words did little to calm Jack, Jesse awkwardly cleared his throat. He hadn't sung for anyone in years but anything was better than leaving the silence to be broken by the sound of tools cutting through Jack. 

"El amor, es una gota de agua en un cristal, es un paseo largo sin hablar, es una fruta para dos."

El Amor had haunted his younger years, carrying memories of warm summer afternoons, his parents slow dancing in the kitchen, hot pies slowly cooling, the taste of honey on his tongue as an old beaten radio crooned words of love. 

"El amor, es un espacio donde no hay lugar, para otra cosa que no sea amar, es algo entre tu y yo."

Gaze drifting over Jack's exposed skin, Jesse nodded slowly as he thought back to the repair lessons Jack had given him. Sliding his fingers down his back, he traced the edges of the bionic spine hidden under Jack's shirt and circled the various cables and ports connecting everything together. Relaxing a little more once he was satisfied nothing else was loose, he turned his full attention to the thick cable Widowmaker had almost severed.

Cradling the cable in his mechanical fingers, he slipped his flesh fingers past Jack's belt, circling the port centred over his L3 vertebrae. Satisfied that it was undamaged, he picked up the cutters again and swallowed. Continuing with his song, he cut the upper end of the cable and silently apologised when Jack shuddered in distress. Clipping the other end, he set the damaged piece aside and grinned as Elena reached over and positioned the replacement cable.

Grabbing the insulating tape, Jesse wrapped the joins securely, being careful not to tug on the cable as he passed the tape between his fingers. Testing the joins carefully, not wanting to add to Jack's anguish, he reached for the duct tape hanging on the wall and reinforced the entire cable with a couple of layers. Hanging the silver tape up again, he lifted Jack's shirt again and slid his flesh hand under, doing one more check over the wide spinal panel just to be certain that he hadn't done any serious damage to his implants. 

Jesse's voice trailed off as he smoothed Jack's shirt down and tucked it in neatly. The patch was by no means a proper repair and Jack would need to see Angela as soon as possible but it would hold for the night. Jack leant back to rest his head on Jesse's shoulder, grateful that the repairs had gone quickly and Jesse's hands hadn't lingered. 

Jesse shifted him gently to stand up, offering a hand to help his stand. Jack's body protested at the thought of any movement but he couldn't sit on this garage floor forever. Jesse's hand settled on Jack's him to help balance before shifting to adjust his serape so it covered Jack's back. It'll have to do until one of them can patch the rip in Jack's infamous coat. 

Jesse picked up the rifle from where it had been leant against the wall and wrapped it up in the coat, hiding both in plain sight. Elena helpfully offered up a piece of rope to make it look more like a package which Jesse accepted with a nod of thanks. He passed the bundle off to Jack and glanced back at Elena. 

"You have no idea how grateful we are, Elena. You really saved my friend here, so thank you li'l darlin'." Jesse tipped his hat at the young girl who grinned broadly at him.

"I hope your friend gets better soon." Jack curled one arm over Jesse's shoulders and let him help bear his weight as they shuffled out of the garage. Elena gave them one last wave before disappearing up the street.

Recalling Jack's warning about a visor malfunction, Jesse adjusted his grip and slowed his stride. Trying not to crowd Jack too much, fully aware how poorly he reacted to such treatment, Jesse hummed softly as he took the next corner a little wider. Hand skimming down Jack's side to rest more securely on his hip, he smiled softly as Jack leaned into him further.

"I'm sorry about this, Jesse." Jack uttered, head resting against his shoulder lightly. "You had something planned for today, didn't you?"

"It don't matter none, Jack." Jesse corrected, patting Jack's hip lightly. "I'm happy we got to spend the day together, anything would have been just icing on the cake."

"Jesse, please. I know you." Jack sighed, fingers tracing lazy circles over Jesse's shoulder. "You had something arranged, just like always."

"It was nothing much, just dinner and a movie. I made reservations at that Italian place you wanted to try." Jesse admitted, faithfully leading Jack through the back alley maze. "Got my hands on a copy of the remake of Big Eden too. I remember you wanted to watch it."

"Shit, I'm sorry I ruined that plan. It sounds like it would have been a great time." Jack offered, hanging his head.

"It's okay Jack. We can have a dinner date any time we want. It's been awhile since we got to spend our anniversary together." Jesse soothed, leaning in to brush a soft kiss against Jack's hair. "Don't be upset about it, angel. These things happen, you didn't ask to be shot."

"I'll make it up to you." Jack promised, bowing his head slowly.

Letting the conversation fade, Jesse smiled softly as he thought back over their relationship. Weekly date nights that rarely went to plan. Anniversaries forgotten in between missions. Birthdays lost in the grind. But for all the missed chances, they reorganised and made some amazing memories together. A candlelit dinner under the stars for Jack's 36th birthday. A rare weekend camping trip for their 4th anniversary. Breakfast and a lazy day snuggling for Jesse's 21st. A red rose every Valentine's and sweet little gifts every Christmas. Jesse still had the horseshoe belt buckle Jack had given him for their first Christmas together.

"Remember our first date?" Jack asked, breaking the silence again. "I'm still not sure who was more nervous about that one."

"I remember. First time I ever saw you in civies." Jesse chuckled, casting his mind back again.

"First time I ever saw you properly cleaned up." Jack laughed, tightening his grip around Jesse's shoulders. "Last time I saw you with the ponytail though."

"Soon learned that long hair was a problem with Gabe's training so I trimmed it back. Not as short as he wanted but enough to get away with it." Jesse grinned, spotting the ship over the buildings. "Almost there Jack."

"Shit...the hatch way. I…" Jack uttered, pressing in closer. "I hate being like this."

"Easy now Jackie, I gotcha." Jesse soothed, fingers curling under his belt. "I won't let ya fall."

Approaching the ship, relieved to finally be back with the rest of the team, Jesse firmed his grip and lifted fractionally, taking more of Jack's weight across his shoulders. Tapping one foot against the bottom edge of the lowered hatch, he waited for Jack to find it and picked his way over it carefully before leading him up the thick perspex window. Grip firming again, he hooked his foot behind Jack's and guided him over the plating bulge and across the gap at the edge of the ramp.

"I'm so sorry, luv. I tried to stop her but she took the shot before I ran her off."

"Not your fault, Lena. You did a great job keeping Widowmaker occupied. Thanks to you, she only hit me with one round. That's a major drop from her usual accuracy." Jack shrugged, relaxing further as Mercy's healing beam washed over his aching muscles. "Sorry about the smell, landed in a dumpster of rotting food."

"Just sit down and rest Jack." Jesse guided, lowering him into one of the jump seats. "I'll look after your gear."

"Thanks Jesse." Jack uttered, leaning back and pulling Jesse's serape tighter around his chest.

Tucking into the seat padding a little more, Jack settled in the most comfortable position he could find and sighed softly. Eyes drifting closed, he smiled lightly as he considered how to make up for ruining yet another anniversary. Muscles loosening slowly, he yawned and drifted into a light doze.

The trip back passed in a blur of pain killers and biotics. Jack drifted in and out of sleep, until the jolt of the dropship touching down, having landed back at Gibraltar. Jack tilted his head slightly at the sound of approaching footsteps, though relaxed when he recognised the voices. 

"Come on, Doc. You said it yourself, right now the best thing for Jack is rest and you know he'll sleep better in his room then he will in the infirmary. I won't let anything happen to him, promise." Jesse's sweet cajoling words filled the small medic bay at the rear of the ship. Mercy paused for a moment before nodding reluctantly.

"Fine. But if he starts having any issues you will call me immediately and you will both report to me first thing in the morning so I can check you both over."

Jesse nodded obediently as he slung one of Jack's arms over his shoulder, helping him stand. "First thing in the morning, gotcha. Come on, Jack."

The soldier grumbled but allowed Jesse to bear his weight, half carrying him off the dropship and through the base. They eventually stopped outside Jack's room, Jesse shifting the other man slightly so he would punch in the access code. The door opened with barely a sound and the two men shuffled into the dim room. 

Jesse gently lowered Jack onto the bed and bent down to help remove his boots. Jack's undersuit quickly followed, leaving the soldier in worn boxes. Jesse followed suit, leaving his clothes in a pile to be dealt with later. With a little more care, he set the bundle with Jack's rifle and jacket on the desk, Peacekeeper landing beside it to be cleaned in the morning.

"Want help with your legs?" Jesse asked softly, hissing softly as he released his arm and set it on the bedside table.

"Yeah, please." Jack nodded, one hand resting on the bruises across his ribs. "Still tender from that fall. I don't bounce like I used to."

Chuckling softly Jesse reached down between them, fingers skating over the masses of scar tissue across Jack's lower body. Keeping his touch light, knowing that Jack wasn't fully comfortable with all his scars, he shuffled down and wrapped his hand around Jack's lower thigh. Finding the release points, he squeezed sharply to unlock them and carefully eased the cup away from Jack's leg.

Repeating the process with his left leg, Jesse gathered up the prosthetics and leaned over to set them within easy reach. Twisting around, he stretched out beside Jack and reached out to card his fingers through Jack's hair slowly as he waited for the next step. Getting a faint nod, Jesse smiled softly and removed Jack's visor, partly rolling over to set it on the bedside table beside his arm.

Finally letting himself relax, Jesse pulled the blankets up and drew Jack in for a sweet kiss. Welcoming Jesse's arm around his shoulders, Jack hummed softly and curled into his warmth a little more, drifting off to sleep to the familiar sound of Jesse softly singing that same sappy old love song.

"El amor, es parar el tiempo en un reloj, es buscar un lugar donde escuchar tu voz, el amor es crear un mundo entre los dos, es perdonarme tu y comprenderte yo." 

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Woken by a soft chirp in his ear, Jesse uncurled from around Jack slowly, whispering calming promises as he slid out of bed and tucked the warm blankets around Jack's back again. Securing his arm and tugging on a pair of sweatpants, he crept over to open the door, glancing back to check the soft noises didn't wake Jack as he grabbed the wheeled trolley and pulled it inside carefully. Wincing at the squeak of a wheel, he looked back again and slowly relaxed at the sight of Jack sleeping so peacefully.

Clearing off the table against the wall and bringing it out a little more, Jesse put his reduced plans into action. Smoothing out the pristine white tablecloth, he pulled his the research on his tablet, setting the table to match the semi-formal setting displayed on the screen. Everything he needed was neatly organised on the trolley, making it super easy for him to get everything ready for the surprise.

Humming softly, he made a note to thank Ana properly for all her help as he set the flowers on the table and topped up the water in the vase. Adding the candles and opening the wine, he stepped back to admire the final display. Straightening the cutlery quickly, he pushed the trolley into the corner and checked the time. Ana had agreed to deliver the meal at 6pm, so he had plenty of time to get ready and let Jack wake in his own time.

"Athena, you got that play list ready for me?" He asked, polishing the glasses with the provided cloth. "Just keep it down real low, don't want to wake him straight away."

"Of course Jesse." Athena replied, voice low out of respect for Jack's rest.

Humming along with the soft country beat filling the silence, Jesse busied himself tidying up the room before turning his attention to cleaning himself up properly. Calculating how long it would take for Jack to wake up, he showered quickly, trimmed his beard and swept his hair back into a rough ponytail. Glancing towards the bed when he emerged from the bathroom, he chuckled softly as he pulled on his best jeans and a plain red t-shirt. Stretching up, he snagged a small box from under his white hat and tucked it safely in his pocket for later.

Watching Jack for a few moments, noting when he started shifting in his sleep, Jesse lit the candles on the table and retrieved the food trolley from outside the door. Checking the time, he chuckled softly as he positioned the trolley close enough to the table for easy service but far enough that it didn't intrude on the moment.

"Mhmm? Jesse?" Jack groaned, rolling over and sitting up. "Jesse?"

"Right here Jackie." Jesse replied, padding over to sit on the bed. "Feeling better now?"

"Yeah, still a little tender in spots." Jack nodded, reaching out to find Jesse.

Fishing his spare visor from the bedside drawer, Jesse pressed it into Jack's hand and smiled softly as he locked it into place and instantly relaxed again. Leaning in, Jesse drew him in for a soft kiss and a tender cuddle.

"Got a surprise for ya angel." He grinned, running his fingers through Jack's hair softly. "I know ya don't usually like surprises but I think ya gonna like this one."

"Do I have to get up?" Jack asked, stretching contentedly.

"Well yeah, you do. Just relax, let me take care of you." Jesse offered, retrieving the blue satin robe he'd picked up for Jack's last birthday. "We've still got a few hours left of our anniversary."

Mindful of the damaged cable still holding Jack together, Jesse helped him wrap up in the cool satin and gathered Jack against his chest. Ignoring the twinge in his back, Jesse straightened and chuckled softly as Jack burrowed closer to him.

"Athena, mind turning up the heat a little for us?" He asked, nuzzling Jack's hair sweetly. "Much obliged."

Jaw dropping as Jesse turned them around, Jack stared at the elegantly set table, trying to take it all in as Jesse padded closer. Flickering candles framed two dozen roses in a crystal vase - twelve red, four white and eight deep blue. The exact same arrangement Jesse organised for every anniversary. Jack had long since stopped asking where Jesse got the arrangements, he kept insisting that a man deserved some secrets.

Stunned speechless, Jack pulled his robe tighter across his chest and watched in humbled awe as Jesse calmly poured the wine and offered a selection of mini bruschetta.

"I should have known you had a backup plan." Jack chuckled, sipping his wine and humming appreciatively.

‘Don't I always?" Jesse grinned, settling in his chair. "Wasn't going to miss a chance to show you a nice time."

The meal flowed smoothly, interspaced with gentle smiles and tender words. Loving looks across the table as they enjoyed the Conchiglie With Clams and Mussels. Soft laughter as they sampled Grilled Tuscan Chicken and Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary, fingers brushing as they praised the flavours and the way the wine enhanced both dishes. The plain roasted vegetables and crisp salad worked as a nice counterpoint to both dishes, adding to the experience.

Just when Jack thought the meal couldn't get any better, Jesse surprised him with the most creamy gelato, dark chocolate and coffee mingling in the bowl and topped with amaretti biscuits. Humbled and amazed that Jesse went to such lengths for him, Jack savoured every last sweet mouthful, remembering their first anniversary and the Italian restaurant he'd taken Jesse to as a special treat.

One hand resting against the box in his pocket, Jesse eased to his feet and bent to drop a kiss on Jack's forehead as he moved past. Retrieving a matched pair of tumblers and a bottle of aged scotch from the table, he returned to the table and watched as Jack examined the glasses. This was the real gift for their anniversary, a new set of drinking glasses etched with a faceted heart surrounding their initials.

"Jesse, these are amazing." Jack grinned, tracing over the design slowly.

"Nothing but the best for my angel." Jesse insisted, pouring them both a generous measure and returning the bottle to the cupboard. "I thought we could watch a movie while we digested."

"Sounds perfect to me, sweetheart." Jack agreed, turning to watch Jesse putter around the room as he sipped the fine scotch.

Getting everything ready for a lazy evening cuddling in bed and watching movies, Jesse smoothed out the bedding again and made sure they had all the essentials in easy reach. Sampling the fine liquor when he came back to Jack's side, he smiled happily and scooped Jack up again. Humming along with the love songs from Athena, he spun them slowly, thoughts drifting back to every time they'd danced in the privacy of their quarters.

Laying Jack down tenderly and bringing their glasses over, Jesse slipped the box out of his pocket as he crawled onto the bed and snuggled in against Jack's back happily. Reaching over, blocking Jack from starting the movie, he popped the box open and waited for the reaction. Nestled inside, a single gold band. A little scratched from wear, the sapphire nestled in the band still sparkled softly under the sunset pouring in through the open curtains.

Rolling onto his back, Jack drew Jesse into a loving kiss as he took the ring and worked it onto his finger. Nudging Jesse back a fraction, he loosened his visor and reached under to wipe his eyes. Stretching up for another kiss, he plucked the box from Jesse's hand and set it aside before snuggling into his warmth again and reaching for their glasses.

"I might need to switch off for a bit, Jackie. Starting to buzz real bad." Jesse warned, nosing into Jack's shoulder softly.

"I'll put the subtitles on for you." Jack nodded, nuzzling Jesse tenderly.

Returning his glass to the bedside table, Jesse tucked in closer and reached up to shut off the bionic ear hidden under his hair. Resting his cheek against Jack's shoulder, he focused on the movie and settled into the lazy banter, recalling the dialect they built between them. An entire language condensed to be spoken with just one hand. Sweet words traced against sensitive skin as they watched the movie, forgetting all their burdens for one perfect evening together.


End file.
